1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to two-wheel manually powered bicycles in general. More particularly the invention relates to a bicycle on which the rider sits in a semi-recumbent position while riding. One novel aspect of my bicycle is in the inclusion of at least one significantly large hollow area within a main structural frame member of the bike, and an access opening with door so as to render the hollow area a convenient storage compartment. My prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,203 issued May 15, 1990, for a "Semi-recumbent Bicycle with Adjustable Frame" is incorporated herein by reference for both essential and nonessential material, and will provide an improved understanding of the preferred semi-recumbent bicycle of this disclosure, and possible variations thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With a semi-recumbent bicycle, the pedal crank assembly is substantially more forward and upward relative to the seat than that of the pedal crank assembly of more conventional "stand-up style" bicycles such as multi-speed racing bicycles and mountain style bicycles whereon the pedal crank assembly is essentially vertically straight downward from the seat. Relative to the seat, the pedal crank assembly of a semi-recumbent bicycle is also somewhat downward and rearward of that associated with the style of bicycles commonly referred to as fully or full recumbent bicycles. With a semi-recumbent bicycle, the rider sits in a seat, which is preferably a high-backed seat, and in a semi-recumbent position elevated upward of the top of the rear wheel, and the legs of the rider extend forward and somewhat downward from the seat to the pedals. With a fully recumbent bicycle, the normally high-backed seat is positioned forward, and substantially below the top of the rear wheel resulting in the legs and feet of the rider of a fully recumbent bicycle extending generally straight forward or in some cases even slightly upward from the seat to the pedals.
A problem associated with many prior art bicycles, but certainly not all, is the position of the pedals relative to the seat. This seat-to-pedal relationship is primarily what determines the degree of pushing power a given rider can develop. Fully recumbent bicycles normally have a good seat-to-pedal relationship as far as development of power is concerned, but the vertical height at which the rider sits on these bicycles presents significant safety problems, as sitting quite low (forward and downward of the top of the rear wheel) in a fully recumbent bicycle makes it difficult for both the rider and automobile drivers to detect the presence of each other over and around other vehicles. A significant problem with the pedal positions associated with many fully recumbent bicycles, which does not exist with semi-recumbent bicycles, is that with full recumbents, the rider's legs are normally extending straight out or even slightly upward in front of him with his feet on the pedals, and the effect of gravity is such that the feet, when not in the pushing mode, have a tendency to slip downward and off of the pedals. Although systems which clip or fasten the feet (shoes) to the pedals are known, many riders feel such shoe-to-pedal fastening systems create more problems than they solve for the average non-racing bicyclist, since if one cannot remove his feet from the pedals and place them on the ground quickly when stopping, one could easily fall. A semi-recumbent bicycle, such as that of this disclosure and the reference patent, allows for pushing against a high-backed seat, and therefore the development of high pedal pushing power is possible, without the problem of the feet tending to slide downward off of the pedals, this being due to the somewhat downward angle of approach of the rider's legs and feet to the pedals.
The high power which can be applied by pushing on the pedals with a full or semi-recumbent bicycle is in part dependant on high-backed seats which the rider can push against, in combination with the pedals being of the proper distance from the seat-back for the particular rider's leg length. If the pedals are too far from or too close to the seat-back for a particular rider's leg length, significant pushing power is lost, and therefore proper seat positioning (distance) relative to the pedals is important for the full development of power.
Proper seat positioning on semi-recumbent bicycles is somewhat more difficult than with fully recumbents, as with semi-recumbents, the seat adjustment is ideally provided with both vertical and horizontal adjustments to the seat relative to the pedals. With a semi-recumbent which in part relies on the angle of approach of the rider's legs and feet to the pedals to help maintain his feet on the pedals when not in the pushing mode, if the seat were to be re-positioned straight rearward only, or straight upward only, the angle of approach of the rider's legs and feet to the pedals could be changed, and although this angular change in some cases is insignificant and maybe even desirable, in some situations it is significant and undesirable, and therefore ideally with a semi-recumbent bike, the rider is given a choice of both vertical and horizontal seat adjustments independent of one another as is taught in the reference patent.
With such a semi-recumbent bicycle as taught in the reference patent, due to the seat position being elevated above the height of the rear wheel to elevate the rider, and the pedal crank assembly being significantly forward and slightly downward from the seat, the rider's upper legs (thighs) extend somewhat horizontally forward and then bend at the knees and angle downward to the pedals, and of course this angle is continuously changing with pedaling action. This position of the rider's legs on a semi-recumbent leaves a centrally placed significantly large open area between the front wheel and rear wheel above the path of the drive chain which the rider's legs do not have to straddle, and which the rotational path the pedal crank assembly generally does not enter.
The relatively large open area between the front and rear wheels of a semi-recumbent bicycle as previously described does not exist to the same extent with full recumbent bicycles. With fully recumbent bicycles, the rider's legs and feet are in a general straight line (horizontal) approach to the pedals from the seat, and further, the rider's legs are paralleling a structural main tube frame member of the bike, and normally, a drive chain extends through this area directly below or adjacent the main tube frame member. Additionally, the relatively large open area between the front and rear wheels of a semi-recumbent bicycle does not exist to the same extent with more conventional bicycles such as multi-speed racing bicycles and mountain style bicycles where the pedal crank assembly is essentially vertically downward from the seat, and the rider's feet on the pedals are in this area between the front and rear wheel, and the rider's upper legs in his crotch area are close together and straddling necessarily narrow frame members in their approach to the pedals.
A common problem associated with the everyday use of a bicycle is item carrying and storage capacity. Few if any prior art bicycles have adequately addressed this item carrying and storage capacity problem. Although there have been affixable "saddle-bags" for bicycles, and rigid or flexible cargo storage compartments designed and built for bicycles in the past, they have primarily been bolt-on or otherwise affixable units which attached to the structural frame members or to added cargo racks of the bike, and are normally sold as after market items. A problem with many prior art bicycle storage compartments has been in the placement on the bicycle, most commonly being over and beside the rear or front wheels. The geometries of many bicycles, and the required rider leg and feet positions thereon, do not allow for the placement of a significantly sized storage compartment in a location on the bike which maintains the designed weight distribution if heavy cargo is carried. For example, due to the position of the pedal crank assembly of more conventional stand-up style bicycles whereon the pedal crank assembly is essentially vertically downward from the seat, in providing clearance for the crank arms, pedals, and the rider's legs and feet, there is little or no room left between the front wheel and the rear wheel in which to place a significantly sized (wide) storage compartment, and this central area would be an ideal location to maintain a proper weight distribution on a bicycle. Although full recumbent bicycles in general do appear to have some existing space centrally between the front and rear wheels downward below the rider's legs and main tube of the bike, this volume is often small and occupied by drive chain and frame structure. I am not aware of any manually powered prior art bicycles, particularly high-power potential semi-recumbent bicycles, which adequately address the problem of the storage of items in a manner such as the semi-recumbent bicycles of this disclosure.